Alaska Marijuana Bill Would Still Treat Pot as Controlled Substance. The state Senate is preparing to vote Friday on the bill to deal with marijuana post-legalization, but it will vote on a version of Senate Bill 30 that keeps marijuana listed as a controlled substance. A Judiciary Committee draft removed marijuana from the list, but the Senate voted as a whole to adopt instead language from the Finance committee that keeps it on the list.

New California Poll Has Support for Legalization at 55%. A new Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) poll has 55% of Californians supporting marijuana legalization. "Support for legalization is at its highest point since PPIC began asking the question in May 2010," the group noted.

Massachusetts Prosecutors Reject Legalization. State DAs showed little interest in legalizing marijuana at a statehouse hearing Wednesday. "We ought to turn ourselves into Denver, Colorado, where gummy bears are littering the streets that are made of marijuana?" asked Cape and Islands DA Michael O'Keefe in a typical comment from prosecutors. If the legislature doesn't legalize pot this year or next, the state is extremely likely to see one or more initiatives to do so next year.

New Jersey Governor Says Marijuana Tax Revenue is "Blood Money." Gov. Chris Christie (R) used the occasion of the ribbon-cutting event at a drug treatment facility to reiterate his opposition to marijuana legalization. Christie said marijuana is a "gateway drug" and that tax revenues from its sale would amount to "blood money."

ResponsibleOhio Begins Signature Gathering. Signature gathering started Wednesday for the group's marijuana legalization initiative, which is unique and controversial because of its scheme to essentially create a commercial marijuana monopoly with only 10 registered commercial growers. The group needs some 300,000 signatures by July to qualify for this year's ballot.

Medical Marijuana

Federal CBD Bill Filed. Rep. Scott Perry (R-PA) has filed HR 1635, which would amend the Controlled Substances Act to exclude cannabidiol (CDB) and CBD-rich marijuana plants from the definition of marijuana under the act.

Hawaii Dispensary Bill Wins Committee Vote. The Senate Public Health and Public Safety committees have approved House Bill 321, which would create dispensaries and production centers in each county in the state. They also amended the bill to speed up the opening of dispensaries, which would now be set for next year.

North Carolina House Committee Kills Medical Marijuana Bill. After an intense hour-long hearing, the House Judiciary Committee voted to kill a medical marijuana bill, House Bill 78. Some supporters of the bill vowed to move to other states, while one Republican foe of the bill, Rep. Dan Arp, complained he was struck in the back by an angry supporter. The man was detained by police, but later released without charges.

Heroin and Opiates

Kentucky Legislature Passes Compromise Heroin Bill. After more than three years of negotiations, the legislature has passed a bill that will allow for needle exchange programs, but also increase sentences for some heroin dealing offenses. Gov. Steve Beshear (D) is expected to sign the bill.

DEA Agents in Colombia Enjoyed "Sex Parties" Paid for By Drug Traffickers. A new report from the Justice Department's Office of the Inspector General finds that foreign drug trafficking organizations paid for "sex parties" attended by DEA agents, including at least one DEA Supervisory Agent. At least seven overseas agents admitting attending parties with prostitutes, and they were hit with penalties of suspensions ranging from two to10 days. The DEA wasn't especially helpful in preparing the report, the OIG noted.

International

New Zealand Prime Minister Rejects Marijuana Decriminalization. Prime Minister John Key said while campaigning Thursday that he did not support marijuana decriminalization. When accused by a listener of wanting to lock people up, he said, "It's not so much that, I just don't agree with drugs." That prompted Northland candidate Maki Herbert to retort that Key was sending mixed messages. "On the one hand he wants cannabis to remain a crime but he denies wanting to lock people in jail for that crime," she said. "Mr. Key should remember that alcohol is also a drug, one which he admits to using regularly."

A DC FBI agent's heroin habit gets the best of him, a sticky-fingered Utah narc is in trouble, so are four Memphis jail guards, and crooked cops in San Francisco and Houston head for prison. Let's get to it:

[image:1 align:left]In Washington, DC, an FBI agent was arrested last Friday on charges he stole hundreds of grams of heroin seized in drug raids, keeping it in his car, and occasionally using it. Matthew Lowry, 33, will plead guilty to 64 counts of obstruction of justice, heroin possession, and conversion of property, his attorney said. Lowry's larceny caused federal prosecutors to have to drop charges against at least 28 defendants in drug cases and to notify 150 more than Lowry had been part of their investigations.

In South Salt Lake, Utah, a Unified police detective was arrested last Friday on charges he stole more than $8,500 in drug buy money from the department. Sgt. Kenneth Calhoun, 49, went down after an audit earlier this year revealed discrepancies in the drug buy funds. The audit identified at least 46 cases where Calhoun submitted "chits" for drug buy funds, but never turned in any drugs. He is charged with misuse of public money and official misconduct. The 19-year department veteran is now on administrative leave.

In Memphis, four Shelby County corrections deputies were arrested Monday on charges they conspired to smuggle Oxycontin into the county jail. The four went down in a sting after the FBI's Tarnished Badge Task Force found "cooperating" inmates who agreed to ask them to smuggle the drugs into the jail. The sting included meetings between the jailers and people named by the inmates as intermediaries where fake Oxycontin pills and cash were given to them. The jailers then smuggled the pills into the jail, where the cooperating inmates turned them in to authorities. All four are now looking at up to 20 years in federal prison.

In San Francisco, a former San Francisco police undercover officer was sentenced last Wednesday to three years and three months in prison for stealing money and belongings from people during drug searches. Edmond Robles, 47, a 22-year veteran of the force, had been convicted in February of five counts -- conspiracy to violate civil rights, two counts of wire fraud, conspiracy to commit theft from a federally funded program (namely, the Police Department) and theft. Robles is the third San Francisco police officer to go down in the case, which targeted residents of the city's SRO hotels.

In Houston, a former Houston police officer was sentenced last Friday to more than five years in federal prison for agreeing to use his law enforcement position to provide security for a 10-kilogram drug deal. He agreed to provide security for a $2,500 payment. He had been indicted on charges of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute five or more kilograms of cocaine.

A sticky-fingered Detroit cop goes down, so does an entrepreneurial New Mexico deputy, and more jail guards get in trouble. Of course. Let's get to it:

[image:1 align:right]In Baltimore, a Baltimore County jail guard was arrested last Thursday on charges related to a drug smuggling conspiracy at the jail. Guard Melvin Jerome Hodges, 31, is accused of smuggling suboxone into the jail to be distributed by an inmate. He is charged with conspiracy to distribute drugs and has been released on bail.

In Albuquerque, a Colfax County sheriff's deputy was arrested last Friday on drug corruption charges. Deputy Vidal Sandoval, 45, came under suspicion after two men reported that he had seized marijuana and cash from them without providing a receipt. State police and the FBI then deployed undercover officers to drive highways where Sandoval patrolled, and on three occasions, he stopped their vehicles, found drugs, then offered to escort them down the highway in exchange for a share of their drug proceeds. He is now charged with aiding and abetting an attempt to possess cocaine with intent to distribute.

In Detroit, a Detroit police officer was arrested last Friday on charges he stole a "Scarface movie collage" from a home during a drug raid. Officer Christos Kyriakides, 62, is charged with larceny from a building. His arrest comes as lawsuits have been filed against Detroit drug officers and as the FBI is investigating the former dope squad.

In Vienna, Missouri, a state corrections official was arrested last Saturday in a drug raid in Vienna. Anthony Williams, 46, is a major and Chief of Custody for the state Department of Corrections. Police turned up meth, LSD, cocaine, ecstasy, marijuana, pills, and evidence of drug distribution. It's not clear what he is charged with.

A Marianas Islands cop gets nailed for smoking meth, a Customs office cops to helping traffickers get marijuana into the US, and a Michigan cop gets in trouble for trying to use drugs to entice sexual partners. Let's get to it:

[image:1 align:left]In Saipan, Northern Marianas Islands, a Marianas Islands police officer was arrested last Friday on charges he was smoking methamphetamine and engaging in misconduct in office. Department of Public Safety Patrol Officer Robert Kohler Tudela, 38, is charged with possession of a controlled substance and misconduct in public office. He's still trying to make $100,000 bail.

In Brownsville, Texas, a Customs and Border Patrol officer pleaded guilty last Tuesday to charges he allowed drugs into the country. Officer Jose Luis Zavala copped to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than 1,000 pounds of marijuana. Abribery of a public official charge was dropped. Prosecutors said he used coded text messages with smugglers in Mexico to coordinate the passage of loads of pot through is border entry lane. Sentencing is set for June, and he's looking at 10-year mandatory minimum.

In Kalamazoo, Michigan, a former Prairieville Township reserve police officer was sentenced Monday to time served and 18 months of probation for offering an undercover police officer drugs for sex at a local hotel. Michael Lee Strong pleaded guilty in September to one count of delivery of ecstasy. In return, charges of possessing a firearm during the commission of a felony and two counts of delivery of a controlled substance were dropped. He served two days in jail. Strong went down in a sting after state police became aware that he was using a dating site for gay men to offer drugs in return for sex.

[image:1 align:left]This week, the focus is on bad departments. We have two cases where cities and the departments that police them are running into trouble. Let's get to it:

In Detroit, the US Attorney's Office is now investigating the police department's drug unit. Police Chief James Craig said that part of an FBI investigation into the disbanded unit was now under review by federal prosecutors. An related investigation into theft by narcotics officers is being reviewed by the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office. The unit has since been reconstituted and restructured. "There had been some cultural norms that probably could facilitate or breed criminal misconduct," Craig said. "This is not suggesting that everybody in narcotics was involved because they were not. There were some practices that were allowed that had been historic, that really didn't amount to criminal misconduct, but just poor management practices."

In Schaumberg, Illinois, a 16th lawsuit has been filed against the city and former members of the police department's dope squad. The lawsuit names two former and one current officer who have been linked to a scheme to rip off drug dealers during arrests and sell their goods. In the lawsuit, the plaintiff alleges that the officers falsely arrested him and charged him with drug offenses. Facing a lengthy prison sentence, he copped a plea to 11 years in prison, but that conviction was vacated when the Schaumberg officers were charged in connection with the drug scheme. The city has already settled seven of the wrongful arrest lawsuits for an average of $19,000 each. The police officers are now in prison.

A Georgia head narc gets popped for drunk driving, a Detroit cop is in trouble for ripping off "Scarface" memorabilia during a drug raid, a San Francisco sergeant heads to prison for ripping off drug dealers, and a couple of California prison guards go down. Let's get to it:

[image:1 align:left]In Detroit, a Detroit Police Special Operations officer was arrested last Friday on charges he stole a shadow box with a photograph of Al Pacino and memorabilia from the movie "Scarface" during a drug raid. The unnamed officer was part of a Special Operations team assigned to provide security for a team that raided the residence. He has been suspended.

In San Francisco, a former San Francisco police sergeant was sentenced Monday to 41 months in federal prison for his part in a scheme to rip-off property and thousands of dollars from suspected drug dealers. Ian Furminger had been convicted of four charges in the case, which involved a conspiracy with other officers to steal the items.

In Fresno, California, a former state prison guard was sentenced Tuesday to 2 ½ years in prison for smuggling cash, alcohol, cell phones, and drugs into the Taft Correctional Institution. Ramon Cano, 28, was paid for his smuggling efforts, authorities said.

In Lancaster, California, a former state prison guard was sentenced Wednesday to four years in prison on charges he smuggled drugs and other contraband in to prisoners. Andre Pierre Scott had pleaded no contest to the charges. Authorities say he was a member of a Pasadena street gang and smuggled heroin, marijuana, cell phones, and other contraband. He had worked for the corrections department for a decade.

An Arizona narc gets caught sleeping with the enemy, a Hawaii prison guard goes away for smuggling contraband to gang members, and an Illinois police dispatcher is in trouble for snatching pain pills. Just another week in the drug war. Let's get to it:

[image:1 align:right]In White Hall, Illinois, a White Hall police dispatcher pleaded guilty last Wednesday to stealing prescription opiates from the White Hall Police Department evidence room. Amanda Morrow, 29, had been arrested in June along with another dispatcher and a Roodhouse police officer, who was charged with distributing a controlled substance. She was sentenced to two years' probation and a $1350 fine.

In Phoenix, a former Tempe undercover narcotics officer was sentenced last Wednesday to probation after being caught having sex with a man who was the target of an undercover drug investigation and telling him he was being investigated. Jessica Dever-Jakusz was sentenced to 18 months' probation. Dever-Jakusz was working undercover with other Tempe narcotics detectives targeting downtown restaurants and bars. Police said her revelations to the suspect scuttled a five-month investigation.

In Honolulu, a former state prison guard was sentenced last Friday to nearly nine years in federal prison for delivering drugs to gang members inside the prison. Feso Malufau, 55, was found guilty of racketeering and conspiring to obtain and distribute meth into the Halawa Correctional Facility. Prosecutors said Malufau was paid thousands of dollars to smuggle meth, cigarettes, and other contraband to USO gang members.

A suburban Philly cop is under suspicion in a case of missing drug evidence, a former Philly cop who worked with a dealer to rip off other dealers is heading to prison, and so is a former Virginia cop and DEA task force member who used his position to gain sexual favors. Let's get to it:

In Philadelphia, a former Philadelphia police officer pleaded guilty last Friday to conspiring with drug dealers to steal money and drugs from other dealers. Christopher Saravello, 37, admitted working with South Philly drug dealer Robert Nagy in committing between 10 and 20 robberies, as well as three more robberies with two other dealers. The dealers would set up a drug buy, then Saravello would show up in uniform and pretend to bust the deal. He allegedly scored at least $9,800 in cash from the scheme. He resigned from the force in 2012, when the department discovered he was strung out on pain pills. He's now looking at up to 120 years in federal prison.

In Roanoke, Virginia, a former Salem police officer and DEA task force member was sentenced Tuesday to 2 ½ years in federal prison for soliciting and receiving sexual favors from defendants in return for agreeing to recommend leniency for them. Kevin Moore, 42, admitted that while he served as a DEA task force officer, he told a female meth defendant he could get her a lighter sentence if she performed a sex act on him. She did. He also admitted doing the same thing with two other female defendants in federal drug investigations dating back to 2009. In those cases, he admitted lying to the women, saying he had already convinced prosecutors not to charge them with crimes that would carry a heavy prison sentence. He had not.

What a busy week! Jail guards get arrested all over the place, an Illinois narcotics unit commander gets busted for drunk driving, a Seattle cop gets investigated for stealing weed, a Texas cop gets popped for selling fake weed at his store, a dirty Philadelphia cop heads for prison, and more. Let's get to it:

[image:1 align:right]In Seattle, a Seattle police officer was being investigated Saturday for allegedly stealing marijuana from the evidence room to use with her lesbian lover. Officer Cynthia Whitlatch came under scrutiny after arresting an elderly black man for carrying a golf club that he used as a cane (and had done so for years). In the wake of publicity around that incident, a woman came forward to say she was Whitlatch's ex-girlfriend and that the two had smoked the marijuana at home after Whitlatch stole it in the spring of 2005.

In Raymondville, Texas, an Edinburg police officer was arrested last Monday for selling synthetic marijuana at his Raymondville store. Officer Michael Anthony Moreno, 32, was arrested after officers found 21 pounds of the fake pot at his store. Police acted on a citizen's complaint that he was selling the stuff. He is charged with possession of a controlled substance in a drug-free zone and delivery of a controlled substance in a drug-free zone. He has been suspended without pay.

In Jackson, Mississippi, a Jackson Detention Center guard was arrested last Thursday on charges he tried to smuggle contraband into the jail. Anthony Ware, 30, went down after arriving at work with "a strong odor" and was subsequently searched. Guards found marijuana, amphetamines and other controlled substances on him, as well as cigarettes and condoms. He is charged with possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute, possession of amphetamines and other controlled substances with the intent to distribute and the introduction of contraband into a correctional facility.

In Crown Point, Illinois, the head of the Lake County Sheriff's Department drug unit was arrested Sunday after he struck two cars on Main Street and then left the scene. Commander David Britton, 46, was busted with a blood alcohol content of 0.24%, three times the legal limit. He was reportedly driving at a high rate of speed in snowy conditions when he attempted to pass a car, but instead struck it. He then hit the front side of another car waiting at a traffic light. He then drove away, but was arrested nearby.

In Plainfield, Indiana, a Plainfield jail guard was arrested Monday on charges he smuggled drugs to an inmate. Ryan Daniels, 22, went down after investigators received a tip that he would be bringing heroin and tobacco into the jail. During an interview, he admitted smuggling drugs into the jail and produced a package he had taped between his legs. It contained marijuana, synthetic marijuana, and heroin. He is charged with trafficking with an inmate and dealing in a synthetic drug.

In Denver, a former Walsenburg police officer was sentenced last Wednesday to five years in federal prison for helping hide her ex-husband's stash of cash and heroin after he was arrested by police in Pueblo. Gloria Suazo pleaded guilty to charges of aiding and abetting the possession with intent to distribute heroin. She still faces unrelated charges of selling crack cocaine in Pueblo.

In Philadelphia, a former narcotics officer was sentenced last Wednesday to more than 17 years in federal prison for stealing money and selling drugs in and out of uniform. Jonathan Garcia, 24, stole more than $4,000 from drug suspects, then filed fake paperwork to hide his activities. He and his partner, Sydemy Joanis, ripped off at least five drug dealers between April 2010 and June 2012. He was also selling heroin, including while he was on duty and sometimes right across the street from the 17th Police District Headquarters.

In Honolulu, a Coast Guard officer was convicted and sentenced last Thursday to three years in the brig for a variety of drug and other offenses. Ensign Johnson Cox was found guilty of possession and distribution of multiple controlled substances, cruelty and maltreatment toward a subordinate, assault, absence without leave, failure to obey an order and dereliction of duty.

In San Diego, two married San Diego police officers were sentenced last Friday to three years in state prison after being convicted of drug and burglary charges. Bryce Charpentier, 32, and his wife Jennifer, 41, pleaded guilty to distributing drugs, stealing prescription medications from Jennifer's mother, and burglarizing a home while on duty.